French delay hiring of national coach

PARIS (Reuters) -- French Football Federation (FFF) chairman Claude Simonet has postponed from Friday to Monday the appointment of France's new national coach to succeed Jacques Santini.

"Chairman Claude Simonet told us that the name of the new coach of the national team will be known on Monday, in Paris, at the headquarters of the FFF," an FFF spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday.

"Chairman Simonet said he wanted to give himself more time for thought," he added.

Earlier this week, the FFF said that the announcement was due on Friday as the Federation's board holds a regular meeting in Clermont-Ferrand, in the center of France.

Former internationals Laurent Blanc and Jean Tigana are regarded by French media as the favorites.

Raymond Domenech, the under-21 coach, has also declared an interest. Bruno Metsu, who led Senegal to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals, is seen as an outside candidate.

Former England manager Glenn Hoddle has also applied to become France's second foreign coach after Romanian Stefan Kovacs who was in charge from 1973 to 1975.

Simonet met Hoddle and Domenech for an hour and a half each on Wednesday and also had a phone conversation with Metsu, who was in Dakar, the FFF spokesman said.

The FFF chairman had discussions with Blanc and Tigana during Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Santini, who was appointed after the 2002 World Cup, announced just before Euro 2004 that he would leave at the end of the tournament to join English premier league Tottenham where he held his first media conference at his new club on Wednesday.

His reign ended with the European title-holders beaten 1-0 in the quarterfinals by eventual winner Greece.

France will play a friendly on August 18 against Bosnia in Rennes. It begins its 2006 World Cup qualifiers in September and is grouped with Ireland, Switzerland, Israel, Cyprus and the Faroe Islands.

Foreign coach would revive France, says Hoddle

PARIS (Reuters) -- Former England manager Glenn Hoddle said on Wednesday he was convinced that a foreign coach could revive the France national team after their Euro 2004 failure.

Hoddle officially asked to be considered for the vacant post on Tuesday following Jacques Santini's departure to English club Tottenham Hotspur.

"Coaching Les Bleus would be a huge privilege," Hoddle, a former Tottenham player, told sports daily L'Equipe.

"I still regard France as one of the more talented teams in the world but I think their new coach will have to find the proper balance between new blood and experienced players."

Santini's two-year reign as the French national coach ended miserably as his side were beaten 1-0 in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 by eventual winners Greece.

Santini agreed to join Tottenham just days before the start of the finals, leading to intense speculation about who would replace him. Former internationals Laurent Blanc and Jean Tigana are regarded by French media as the favourites.

But Hoddle thinks that being a foreigner should not be a problem even if France have only once appointed a foreign coach, Romanian Stefan Kovacs from 1973 to 1975.

"The times are changing. If you look at today's French team only two or three players play in the French championship, the others have moved to England, Italy or Spain," he said.

"Greece, who have just won Euro 2004, were coached by a foreigner and so are England.

"I think a foreigner could revive French soccer, bringing in a new approach and new ideas."

Hoddle's application has nevertheless come under immediate fire.

"We should be able to find the new coach of our national team in our own country. I think Hoddle hasn't got a chance of succeeding," said Gervais Marteln chairman of RC Lens, speaking for the Union of French professional soccer clubs (UCPF)

A French football federation spokesman said that FFF's chairman Claude Simonet had received Hoddle's application "with respect" and would meet him before the FFF's council meets on Friday to name the new national coach.

Raymond Domenech, the under-21 coach, has also declared an interest, while Bruno Metsu, who led Senegal to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals, is seen as an outside candidate.

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